How to use the plate calculator
- Choose kilograms or pounds, then pick the bar you are lifting on.
- Tap each plate you are loading. Every tap adds that plate to both sides of the bar.
- Read the total off the top of the card. It already includes the bar, so it is the number to log for the set.
Standard bar weights
| Bar | Kilograms | Pounds |
|---|
| Barbell – Men's | 20 kg | 45 lb |
| Barbell – Women's | 15 kg | 35 lb |
| EZ-Curl Bar | 7.5 kg | 18 lb |
| Training Bar | 10 kg | 22 lb |
| Hex / Trap Bar | 25 kg | 55 lb |
Competition plate colours
Calibrated plates follow the IPF colour standard, so you can read a loaded bar without checking a single label. These are the plates the calculator offers:
| Plate | Colour |
|---|
| 25 kg | Red |
| 20 kg | Blue |
| 15 kg | Yellow |
| 10 kg | Green |
| 5 kg | White |
| 2.5 kg | Black |
| 1.25 kg | Silver |
Frequently asked questions
- How do I calculate the weight on a barbell?
- Add the weight of every plate on one side of the bar, double it, then add the weight of the bar itself. A 20 kg men's barbell loaded with a 20 kg and a 10 kg plate per side is 20 + (30 x 2) = 80 kg.
- Does the plate calculator include the bar?
- Yes. Pick your bar at the top of the calculator and its weight is already in the total. Selecting the wrong bar is the single most common source of bar-maths errors.
- Do I enter plates per side or in total?
- Per side. Each tap adds one plate to both sides of the bar at once, which is how plates are actually loaded. Tap a plate already on the bar to take it back off.
- How much does a barbell weigh?
- A men's Olympic barbell is 20 kg (45 lb) and a women's Olympic barbell is 15 kg (35 lb). Training bars, EZ-curl bars and trap bars all differ — the full list this calculator uses is in the table above.
- What do the plate colours mean?
- They follow the IPF competition standard, so the colour tells you the weight at a glance: in kilos, red is 25, blue 20, yellow 15 and green 10. Not every gym uses coloured plates, but most calibrated sets do.
- Is this plate calculator free?
- Yes, it is free and needs no sign-up. The same calculator is built into the Adiletix app alongside full workout tracking.
Working out what to load rather than what is already on the bar? Use the RPE weight calculator to turn your one rep max into a working weight first.
